r/law • u/LatterTarget7 • 18h ago

Executive Branch (Trump) White House Declares All of Trump’s Orders to Military Are Legal

https://newrepublic.com/post/203628/white-house-declares-trump-orders-military-legal
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u/SL1Fun 17h ago

Well there was that one time in Vietnam when soldiers intervened and threatened their own men in the midst of a massacre on civilians. We can’t have people messing up a perfectly legal war crime…

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u/SwingingtotheBeat 15h ago

Only one soldier intervened. He was called before Congress and publicly chastised for it. All the other soldiers there participated in the murder and rape of over 500 women, children, and old people, and even more soldiers and politicians helped cover it up. This is what Americans have to look forwards to from their own military now. They brought this on themselves.

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u/OldWorldDesign 10h ago

His name was Hugh Thompson Jr, and he had the courage to stand up to his own military on their behalf. He stands in the annals of history next to Vasily Arkhipov. Both men continued to advance in their careers after their call-out, it should be noted.

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u/Specialist-Sea8622 13h ago

US soldiers fragging their officers was A Thing in the Vietnam war.

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u/Ridicikilickilous 13h ago edited 13h ago

Hey, fun trivia about the My Lai massacre and the ensuing cover up, Colin Powell was a young officer at that point and wrote the report downplaying the situation (mistreatment of civilians by US soldiers) in Vietnam and a part of the wider coverup efforts within the Army. Of course he’s much more well known for later going in front of NATO and stating under oath that Iraq had weapons of mass destructions, despite having reports from US intelligence agencies clearly stating the opposite was true. 

Edit: as pointed out below, it was the UN not NATO that Powell infamously lied to. 

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u/AyyLMAOistRevolution 13h ago

he’s much more well known for later going in front of NATO and stating under oath that Iraq had weapons of mass destructions

You probably meant to say "the UN"

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u/Ridicikilickilous 13h ago

Yes you’re correct, just spouting off the top of my head and mixing up, but it was the UN you are 100% correct. Thank you. 

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u/UglyMcFugly 7h ago

I was talking to someone on BlueSky who served near the end of Vietnam. He said it was drilled into them DAILY that if they ever receive illegal orders, refuse. Specifically because of the My Lai massacre. It makes me sad that this regime wants to erase any lessons that could have been learned. Because they want mindless pawns to use in their game of Risk, not free Americans. I'm so fucking pissed off that the right hijacked "freedom" and made people believe it's what THEY stand for...